Tap-bushing.



PATENTBD AUG. 22, 1905,.

G. STRQH. TAP RUSHING.

APPLICATION FILED DEO. 30. 1904.

INVENTUR. QQ or Q ef 36:

WI'TJVESSES.

GEORGE STROH, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

TPnBUSl-MNG.

Specieation of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 22, 1905.

Application Hled December 30, 1904;. Serial NO. 238,974:-

Be it known that I, Geenen Srnon, a citizen. of the United States of America, residing at Detroit, in the county of Wayne and State of Michigan., have invented certain new and useful Improvements in '.lfap-Bushings, of which. the following is a specification, reference being had therein te the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to that class of bush.- ings which. are used. in connection with taps for drawing beer or other liquids from barrels and which are provided for this purpose with. a suitable coupling means for coupling with the tap; and my invention is particularly designed as an improvement of the tapbushing shown in United States Letters Iatent Nos. 655,380 and 655,450, in which. the bushing is provided with a coupling-nipple adapted to form with the coupling member of the tap a so-called bayonet-coupling.

My improved bushing is designed to couple with a tap of the character described in the aforesaid patents; and the object of the invention is to overcome the disadvantages inherent to bushes of these and other prior constructions of a similar character, all of which will be more fully set forth herein.- after.

In the drawings which accom pany this specification and form a part thereof, Figure 1. is a lan view of m im )roved ta bushing Fig. 2 is a cross-section thereof on line 2 2 .in F ig. l, and Fig. 3 is an. elevation with part of the outer shell broken away to show the coupling-nipple. Fig. 4 is an. enlarged clevatien.

My tap-bushing is of cast metal in one piece and consists of a couplingenipple A, having the usual tap-hole, and an outer shell B, concentrically surrounding it and closed. up at one end by a wall C, forming the bottom of the annular recess D between the shell and the nipple.

The shell B is formed at its open end with an outwardly-projecting rim-flange c, which is beveled upon its under side, and upon its body it bears a screw-thread b, differing from the ordinary wood-screw in that it is more like a knife-edge and that the turns are widely spaced apart and have a blank space between them. The screw thread does not quite reach up to the rim, and its ends at c and d taper gradually down to a point.

The nipple A forms the usual annular seat for the tap, and it is provided around the same with the usual interrupted cani-flange c, which cooperates with the coupling-lugs of the tap by inserting the same into the interstices g between the cam-flanges and then giving the tap a slight turn, all in the wellknown manner.

Upon the inner face of the end wall on the bottom of the recess D, I cast two radial ribs E at diametrically opposite points in the rccess and projecting into the recess a sufficient distancc to form strong and effective wrei'ich-liolds for the application of a suitable wreneh (not shown) for screwing the bushing into the head of the barrel. As shown, I preferably form the ribs E adjacent to the interstices g and join them. to the ends of the cam-ilanges by upward con tinuations 7L to a junction with the cam-flanges, whereby the cam-flanges, the ribs, and connecting portions are continuous with. each other.

The considerations which have led me in the construction of my tap-bush I will now explain. In the first instance wooden barrels as now constructed are made with heads of less thickness than heretofme, and there is consequently less wood for the bush to take hold of and more chance for a leakage around the bush. In my construction this is overcome by the relatively large diameter of my bush which is about two and one-fourth inches, and by providing it with the beveled rim with the knife-edge screw-thread which cuts deeply into the wood and buries itself without chance for leakage, while the few turns give a better hold than the ordinary screw-thread. Its large diameter has also the advantage that my bushing may be used for repairing old-style barrels in which the tap-hole has worn out and become unfit for rising the tap-lnishings of the size in ordinary use. l/Vith the increase in diameter I have succeeded in shortening it, so that it is not more than the minimum thickness allowable for the wooden head of a barrel, which is about one inch. To this end the coupling nipple is wholly recessed within the bushing, so that the bushing can be set 'flush with the outer face of the barrel-head without pro- `iecting on the inside, which is also objection able. By making it flush on the outside it permits of placing the stamp conveniently across the face of the bush, and as the ends thereof should lap onto the wood to make it stick the diameter of the bush measured across the rim should not exceed three inches at the most, since the stamp is only four inches long. Since the size of the nipple is also well defined, it is necessary, therefore, to cast the wall of the bushing and nipple rather thin to provide the necessary space around the nipple for the insertion oi' the tap. i

Considering all the conditions and limitations involved in the construction of my tapbush, it will now be readily understood that its practical use is wholly predicated upon its adaptability to be properly secured into the head of the barrel, as this requires the application of great power, since the head of the barrel is of very hard wood, while the diameter of the bushing is comparatively large. Taking hold of the nipple with a wrench would result in breaking it orf, besides there would be nothing to guide the bushing; but by forining a wrench-hold upon the bottoni of the recess, as described, l not only strengthen the bushing and apply the power to the best advantagethat is, in the plane oi' the greatest resistance-but I have now nieans for guiding the bush in screwing it in by using a wrench that iits the annular recess, and thus centering and guiding it thereon, which is absolutely necessary to make it screw in right, since the hole in the barrel should on no account be bored larger than to rit the body, so that the screw-thread will be buried entirely.

Having thus fully described iny invention, what l claim is- 1. ln a tap-bushingfor use in connection with barrels having relatively thin heads and adapted to be contained wholly within the tap-hole in the barrel, the combination with a coupling-nipple of the character described, of an outer shell having an inwardly-projecting end wall integrally uniting the shell with the coupling-nipple at the inner end of the bushing and forming the bottoni of anannular recess between the coupling-nipple and the shell, said shell provided with an overhanging ilange in the plane of the head of the coupling-nipple and with a screw-thread upon its body of the character described, and two radial ribs extending between the shell and thenipple on opposite sides thereof and projecting from the bottoni upwardly into the recess, and adapted to 'forni wrench-holds for screwing the bushing into the tap-hole.

2. In a tap-bushing for use in connection with barrels having relatively thin heads and adapted to be contained wholly within the tap-hole in the barrel, the combination with a coupling-nipple having two cani-flanges extending partially around its head on opposite sides thereof, of an outer shell having an inwardly-projecting end wall integrally uniting the shell with the coupling-nipple at the inner end of the bushing and forming the bottoni of an annular recess formed between the coupling-nipple and the shell, said shell provided with an overhanging flange in the plane of the head o'f the coupling-nipple and beveled upon its under side and with a screwthread upon its body portion of the character described, and'two radial ribs upon the bottoin of the recess on opposite sides of the coupling-nipple below the ends of the canianges and connected therewith by inward extensions of said cani-flanges.

ln testimony whereof l affix iny signature in presence of two witnesses.

i GEORGE STROH.

Wvitnesses:

THOMAS S. LoNGsTArF, OTTO F. BARTHEL. 

